wreck 1 of 2

Definition of wrecknext
1
as in wreckage
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed found the wreck of the ship lying on the floor of the ocean

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2
as in wrecking
the destruction or loss of a ship the wreck cost the insurance company millions of dollars

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3
as in collision
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact a dangerous stretch of roadway that has been the scene of numerous car wrecks

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wreck

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to scuttle
to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking many an unwary captain has wrecked his ship on the shoals that surround the island

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2
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of most of the furniture on the ground floor was wrecked by the floodwaters

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wreck
Noun
Searchers have discovered the wreck of a luxury steamer that sank in a Lake Michigan gale in the late 19th century, completing a quest that began almost 60 years ago. Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026 Ehorn delayed announcing his discovery until three-dimensional video images of the wreck could be produced. George Petras, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
To wreck yourself and everybody else? Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Feb. 2026 But in one election, our state can be upended by the failed socialist policies that have wrecked other states. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreck
Noun
  • Since well before Larry David came along, celebrities have been breaking their own life’s fourth wall and finding comedy among the wreckage.
    Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
  • The Pentagon declined to provide further detail, including about the possible wreckage of the drone.
    Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.
    The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The logic behind this is that supermassive black hole binaries, which spiral together to lead to collisions and mergers, emit gravitational waves of increasing frequency as their orbits shrink, creating a background hum of gravitational waves.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Working out the math for the collision of, say, two five-solar-mass black holes, the amount of energy blasted out in less than a second by such a merger would be roughly the same as the sun will emit in seven trillion years.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Warehouse purchases in six cities were scuttled when buyers decided not to sell under pressure from activists.
    ABC News, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The final push for the Okefenokee’s World Heritage status comes after a mine planned on the swamp’s doorstep was scuttled last year by a landmark conservation deal.
    Drew Kann, AJC.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • That was what Ilia Malinin endured on Friday night, when his disastrous free skate ruined his chances for gold.
    Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Steam cleaning is an effective way to sanitize and refresh your mattress, but the wrong technique can end up ruining the fabric.
    Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Do not burn debris or other items during an air quality alert.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Wash the containers in a dishwasher or by hand using hot water and dish soap to remove as much mold as possible, along with any oils or food debris on the surface.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • One of the vehicles in the crash was a pickup pulling a trailer carrying more than 30 goats.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
  • The department has been aggressively going after states that handed out commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants who shouldn’t have qualified for them ever since a fatal crash in August.
    Josh Funk, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Get shipwrecked on a Robinson Crusoe beach with a picnic of yellowfin ceviche?
    Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The park service first documented zebra mussels during a training dive at the SS Sevona shipwreck off the Sand Island shoal in 2015.
    Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 20 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreck. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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